[Kharon]

Discustard or Digusted

Hood should resign; this ain’t getting any better

Discus. “It appears that the manufacturer had not identified the risks of uncoupling with both control columns free to move asymmetrically, or that the force required to uncouple would mean that there would be sudden, unavoidable movement in whichever direction a crew member was pushing , pulling or both at the same time, as it was in this case.”

Whoa, hold it right there.  Why would you ‘consider’ risks associated with ‘asymmetrically’ opposed control channel input? The system exists for one purpose only – to provide a single channel of control movement - when, and only when the other bloody channel has ‘jammed’; and certainly not a chance to practice arm-wrestling. What happened to rule 101 of ‘multi crew’ operations – who has control. “My controls” – “handing over”. How may thousands of times a day is that phrase used; why? Well it’s so there is no confusion about who is doing what -  particularly if the other chap can’t do it anyway because his ducking controls are ‘jammed’ – Cheeses stinks to high heaven.  Who would consider that ‘professional’ aircrew could end up in such a pickle, two pair of hands on the yoke - bullshit; or,  that the disagreement in their control input would create a control channel disconnect. This is not an aircraft for amateurs; the airline is not a flight school; these were, supposedly, competently trained, tested and checked professional airmen. So, I reiterate; WTF was happening on that flight deck? What was the aircraft configuration, speed and RoD? Where are the CVR and FDR reports. Was the AP on; off; or ‘soft’?  

Three years to get half the job done and then ATSB try to parlay it into a, perhaps, maybe,  ‘design fault’. Just who’s ‘design engineers’ support that claim – not ATSB’s; they ain’t got any. Not that ATR would take the discredited ATSB too seriously anyway; three years to say ‘we think you have a design problem – Bollocks. The French will  probably present the ATSB with a very Gallic, richly deserved ‘taunting’.

Thus, suitably lubricated, for your entertainment:- Vive la France....

Addendum: - sorry I can’t get the NTSB ‘link’ (below) to work – perhaps P2 can? But I did find a BEA briefing which, IMO, demonstrates what real AAI do and make a contribution to ‘closing the loop’, rather than potentially allowing what should be preventable accidents reoccurring.
 
FWIW, the NTSB investigation of the incident below took – not too long – and, closed one hangman's loop before it could snare another aircraft. Potential; repeat avoided. Flight crew did it well, by the book and very nicely.
 
An American Eagle Aerospatiale ATR-72-500, registration N494AE performing flight MQ-4756 from Midland,TX to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA) with 41 passengers and 4 crew, was in level flight with the autopilot engaged, when the crew noticed a pitch mistrim message, disconnected the autopilot and found both control columns restricted in their fore and aft movements with a maximum movement of about one inch foreward and one inch backward. The crew attempted the jammed elevator checklist procedure twice, but was unable to uncouple the elevators (break the link between the two control columns). After slowing to 180 KIAS the crew found better control of the elevator. When the airplane lined up for the final approach, the elevator again seemed to have jammed. The crew went around and conducted a second, shallow approach to a safe touch down. While taxiing to the gate the elevators became unjammed and the crew regained full control of the elevators.

The NTSB released their preliminary report stating, that maintenance personnel found the brackets holding the left hand elevator down limit stop had fractured and separated from the elevator, so that the down limit stop restricted the movement of the left hand elevator.

The cockpit voice and flight data recorder were secured, several damaged parts in the area of the left hand stabilizer area and the left elevator were removed for further investigation. The NTSB concluded: "The rest of the airplane was released to the operator."

Even a touch of humour thrown in with the report, not a hi-viz vest in sight. Real safety, in real time - at work. Bravo NTSB.

Toot - toot..